Page 120 of Carson

I’m trying desperately to keep my shit together.

My dad didn’t even tell me to keep a level head. He usually does.

Does that mean this situation doesn’t call for it?

Or am I just supposed to know?

Anger surges through my veins as I think about the fact that man’s heart is still beating.

It’s had one too many already.

I head upstairs to Kelsie’s room. Luna is nowhere to be found. I walk over and lower myself to the ground. I slip the butterfly origami I made from the ten-dollar bill Serenity gave me under the door.

Her finger brushes against mine as she accepts it.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually she opens the door.

“Hey,” she whispers.

I keep a tight rein on my emotions as I take in the state of her clothes.

“Hey,” I say back. “I heard you’ve been back here taking on bad guys by yourself.”

She smiles at me, and everything almost seems right with the world, but I see the sadness in her eyes. She’d just started trusting the world again, and then someone violated that.

“I brought the stuff Jesse packed for you.”

Her eyes drop to the bag on my lap.

“I’m sorry,” she says, her bottom lip quivering.

“Don’t be. If this is where you feel safe, then this is where you shall be.”

She rubs the butterfly between her fingers. “Are you going to kill him?”

“I am.”

Slowly she crawls out of the closet and onto my lap, wrapping herself around me tightly. “Thank you,” she whispers, resting her head on my shoulder.

I don’t ask her for promises or even a timeframe. I don’t ask her for a fucking thing, because that is not what she needs.

“I’m going to go now, but I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

We continue to hold each other. I’m not letting go until she does.

When she does, I’m almost relieved.

She picks up her bag and then leaves the room, headed to the bathroom. When the water turns on, I rise to my feet.

I’ll have time to think about what led us here later, but for now I need to put that aside.

I calmly walk down the stairs. My grandfather stands and gives me a hug. “I won’t leave her alone,” he assures me.

“Thanks, Grandpa.”

My dad is already sliding into his cut to go with me.